Knock-down furniture system

ABSTRACT

A knock-down furniture system is formed around a basic unit of at least one set of two side panels and top and bottom panels which can be assembled in edge-to-edge relationship to form a basic unit of four walls formed by the panels. Each two of these panels has edge sections which when the unit is assembled, are mutually adjacent, and these sections are formed to provide a dovetail joint therebetweeen with a male joint portion on one of these sections and a female joint portion in the other of the sections. These joints are formed with relatively large fitting tolerances so that the panels may be produced and assembled by unskilled labor. Those of the panels having female joint portions are formed with holes extending entirely through their edge portions and opening into the female joint portions or cuts, and the panels having the male joint portions have holes entering the male portions and which register with the first-named holes when the joint portions are interfitted. The joints are held together by pins proportioned for sliding insertion through the holes in the sections having the female portions and projecting into the holes in the male portions; these pins being insertable via the side ends of the assembled unit. Other components permit this basic unit to be provided with hinged doors, drawers, etc., all components of the system being essentially flat panels, easily manufactured and shipped and easily transported to the location requiring furnishing.

United States Patent [191 Krieks 1 May 27, 1975 41 KNOCK-DOWN FURNITURE SYSTEM [76] Inventor: Hans Krieks, 3 Horizon Rd., Fort Lee, NJ. 07024 [22] Filed: June 27, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 483,546

[52] US. Cl 312/265; 312/108; 312/257 R [51] Int. Cl A47b 43/00 [58] Field of Search 312/265, 257 A, 257 R, 312/263, 264, 140, 111, 108; 403/376, 380

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 761,103 5/1904 Richards 312/108 3,329,473 7/1967 Dickson 312/108 3,347,610 10/1967 Pilliod 312/108 3,644,008 2/1972 Ouerby 312/257 R 3,784,273 l/l974 Nikolai 312/263 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,363,227 12/1964 France 312/108 Primary ExaminerPaul R. Gilliam Assistant ExaminerVictor N. Sakran Attorney, Agent, or FirmKenyon & Kenyon Reilly Carr & Chapin [5 7 ABSTRACT A knock-down furniture system is formed around a basic unit of at least one set of two side panels and top and bottom panels which can be assembled in edge-toedge relationship to form a basic unit of four walls formed by the panels. Each two of these panels has edge sections which when the unit is assembled, are mutually adjacent, and these sections are formed to provide a dovetail joint therebetweeen with a male joint portion on one of these sections and a female joint portion in the other of the sections. These joints are formed with relatively large fitting tolerances so that the panels may be produced and assembled by unskilled labor. Those of the panels having female joint portions are formed with holes extending entirely through their edge portions and opening into the female joint portions or cuts, and the panels having the male joint portions have holes entering the male portions and which register with the first-named holes when the joint portions are interfitted. The joints are held together by pins proportioned for sliding insertion through the holes in the sections having the female portions and projecting into the holes in the male portions; these pins being insertable via the side ends of the assembled unit. Other components permit this basic unit to be provided with hinged doors, drawers, etc., all components of the system being essentially flatpanels, easily manufactured and shipped and easily transported to the location requiring furnishing.

1 11 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures KNOCK-DOWN FURNITURE SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention has maximum importance in connection with the substantially complete furnishing of large business and professional office space, although the principles involved do have advantages in connection with furnishing relatively small offices and for home use.

The creation of a large business or professional office normally involves the services of an architect who lays out the rooms and determines the furnishings required for the efficient conduct of the business involved. Then the furniture is ordered from one or more furniture manufacturers who make the various articles of furniture specified. This furniture, being necessarily of large bulk relative to its weight, is then at undesirable expense shipped to the location of the offices, normally hand-transported into elevators, most office space being above ground level, and finally placed in position ready for use. The manufacture of the furniture, its shipment and its ultimate handling, all involve an expense representing a very large portion of the overall cost of creating any office organization of large size. The same burden of cost must be borne in the case of smaller offices and homes.

To reduce such costs, the prior art has suggested the manufacture and use of knock-down furniture, possibly of modular type. At first glance, this has offered attractive possibilities, but all prior designs of such furniture have required precision manufacturing techniques, requiring highly skilled labor, and the erection of the furniture has been so complicated as to, again, require the use of relatively highly skilled labor. In addition, such furniture has often required a great multiplicity of parts to meet the requirement that the furniture usually must be adaptable for use as book shelves, cabinets having doors, cabinets having sliding drawers, and the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The primary object of the present invention is to provide a system of knock-down furniture, designed around a basic unit construction, providing for the various furniture constructions normally required such as cabinets forming book shelves provided with swinging doors, sliding drawers, etc., without requiring the parts to be manufactured by highly skilled labor, with all of the parts being capable of being shipped flat, and with the parts capable of erection at the point of use, by relatively unskilled labor.

To achieve the above object, the invention provides a knock-down furniture system incorporating, for each piece of furniture, at least one set of two side panels and top and bottom panels which can be assembled in edge-to-edge relationship to form a basic unit having four walls formed by the panels. Each two of the panels has edge sections which when the unit is assembled are mutually adjacent, and these sections are formed to provide a relatively loosely fitting dovetailed joint therebetween, one edge section being male and the other female.

These panels with their joints can be cut from flat plywood by relatively unskilled labor, because the joints are designed with large fitting tolerances. The joints are fully exposed in the final furniture and the parts are completely visible to persons who assemble the parts. Because the parts fit loosely, and cooperation so easily recognized, any person can fit the four panels together to create the basic unit. Furthermore, only one person is required because the dovetailed joints are inherently self-interlocking when once fitted together.

Most office personnel prefer the appearance and feel of wood, and as suggested above, plywood is an acceptable material in the case of the present system, To hide the sawed edges which in some instances are necessarily exposed when the unit is assembled, strips of solid wood are fastened to these edges as is normal in the case of plywood furniture. However, in this instance the strips have their exposed corners transversely rounded and this way the frankly exposed joints between the parts are made not only inconspicuous, but items of decoration, the exposed dovetailed joints and edges being made into decorative features providing the completed assembly with character.

To hold the joints together when the basic unit is moved around, the edges of the sections forming the female joint parts, are grooved, this producing enclosed holes when the decorative strips are applied since they cover the groove. The male parts have relatively short holes formed in them at positions registering with the holes of the female sections when the unit is assembled. Then, to fix the joint against separation, if, for example, the unit is lifted, pins, having decorative outer ends, are inserted through these holes in the two parts of each joint, thus positively locking the joint against separation. The holes required by the female sections are relatively long and could not be drilled accurately by relatively unskilled labor, and the described method of construction provides for accurate holes which can be made without requiring skill. The holes of the male parts need not be very deep and do not require great accuracy. The fit of the pins in the holes can be relatively loose without affecting the efficiency with which the joint is locked against separation.

Although the above description has applied to a single unit, it is to be understood that the same features will be used to produce a large number of such units. The panels may all be made of the same dimensions; for example, to comply with current office furniture dimensions, the side panels may be 24 inches high and 18 inches deep, while the top and bottom panels may be 36 inches wide and, of course, 18 inches deep. For easiest furniture erection, the side panels may have the male joint parts'and the female cuts then being made in the top and bottom panels. Only a single male and female joint set is required for each of the joints, because the dovetailed parts may be made of substantial length. With this, of course, as to each piece of furniture, the two side panels may be set down into the bottom panel via the joints, the side panels remaining selfsustaining until the top panel can be installed, the assembly then remaining self-sustaining until the pins are inserted to complete the unit. If stacked units are desired, links are provided so that each link can be engaged by the pins of the respective units, thus locking the stacking units together.

When the units are intended for use as open book cases, one or more shelves may be installed in the customary manner. Also, the side panels may be grooved so that a relatively thin plywood back panel may be slid into place. i

To make the basic unit universally applicable to more other furniture types required in offices, it is necessary to make provisions for swinging doors and sliding drawers, as required in the case of file cabinets and the like.

With the above in mind, the top and bottom panels of the basic unit have blind holes formed in them via their inside surfaces. These holes are formed near the front and back edges of both of these panels. They are inconspicuous if not needed.

The above holes provide for mounting both one or more swinging doors or for providing the basic unit with sliding drawers. In the case of a door the manufacturer of the parts provides a door with a support member connected to the door by suitable hinges, preferably of the concealed type. Such a support member may be simply a flat wood rail and for shipment is folded flat against the door. The ends of this member or rail has blind holes drilled in it so that the rail may be placed along one side of the basic unit with its top and bottom ends substantially abutting the top and bottom panels, and with its blind holes registering with those formed in the top and bottom panels. This permits the assembly of a cabinet having one or more swinging doors, pins being placed in the blind holes of the bottom end of the support member and in the corresponding holes formed in the bottom panel, prior to dropping the top panel into its position where the panel joints interlock. Pins are then inserted in the holes of the top of this memberor rail and the panel then dropped into position, the pins at the top and bottom of the rail and support member firmly holding it into position. In the case of two doors, the other door has the corresponding support member or rail which with pins is locked into place via the top and bottom blind holes at the opposite end 7 of the unit.

These same blind holes provide for mounting a sliding drawer. In this case the support members are dimensioned to extend for substantially the full depth of the side panels of the unit, and two are used, one at each end of the unit. The top and bottom edges of these deeper members are also formed with drilled blind holes, not only at their front portions, but also at their back portions, this providing for the two of corresponding interlocking pins at the front and back of each member. In this case the members are provided with drawer slides of any suitable type such as might be exemplified by suitable horizontally extending grooves made at appropriate locations. With the provision of these drawer slides, drawers may be provided for the units. To provide drawers, in accordance with the present system, each drawer is premade at the factory with front, back and sides interjoined by hinges permitting swinging in directions such that the drawer folds flat for shipment. The sides of this drawer are provided with cooperating sliding elements for the drawer slides previously referred to. Here again the labor required for erection is not required to have any substantial skill. The flat, folded drawer is simple swung into the rectangular shape required and shoved into place with the respective drawer slides mating. For a drawer bottom, the bottom portions of the drawer panels may be grooved, so that a light plywood panel can be pushed into these grooves when the drawer is erected, or in effect, unfolded, such a panel rendering the drawer rigid against refolding.

The blind holes previously referred to are preferably metal lined both for appearance in case they are exposed, as when the unit is used as a cabinet having an open front, and to resist possible deformation when used with the pins.

It can be seen that this invention provides a system meeting the objective previously stated. In all cases relatively large manufacturing tolerances are involved making manufacturing easy. During manufacture, all of the parts that must be handled are flat parts, thus eliminating the need for expensive manufacturing facilities. Every type of furniture can be furnished by parts which can be shipped in flat stacked condition, this correspondingly making the handling of the parts relatively easy in connection with getting them into the office space requiring furnishing. The erection of the basic units and the application of any components required to provide doors, sliding drawers, etc., is so very obvious as to be within the competence of almost any person. No skill is required. After erection, each furniture construction is firmly locked together and can be moved about and lifted without fear of disassembly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The presently preferred mode for carrying out the invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing one of the basic units during its assembly;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing how two of the units, when assembled, may be stacked on top of each other;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the basic unit as it appears when in the form of a cabinet having swinging doors;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line 44 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a horizontal cross section taken on the line 55 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a vertical section taken on the line 6-6 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the unit when provided with sliding drawers;

FIG. 8 is a vertical section taken on the line 88 in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a horizontal cross section taken on the line 9-9 in FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a vertical section taken on the line 10l0 in FIG. 8; and

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing one of the drawers being unfolded.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Having reference to the above drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 show the basic unit concept.

Each unit comprises a set of two side panels 1 and 2 and top and bottom panels 3 and 4, respectively. To make the unit, these panels are assembled in edge-toedge relationship to form the basic unit formed by FIG. 2 in which two of the units are stacked, one on top of the other. All of the panels may be cut from plywood of suitable thickness and external appearance. The side panels 1 and 2 have their top and bottom edge sections cut to form the male elements 5 of the previously described dovetailed joints and the top and bottom panels have their edge sections cut to form the female portions 6 of these joints. The portions 6a of the female joint sections are grooved as at 6b with the finished strips 7 covering these grooves to form holes. Because of the lengths required, the holes may be drilled in the male joint elements 5 but preferably, for convenience, these are also grooved as at 5a and covered by the side panel finished strips 8. These strips 7 and 8 may be made of wood and provided with rounded edges as indicated at 8a and 7a.

The bottom panel 4 and its joint portions and edge trimming maybe the same and finished strips 9 are elsewhere applied as required to cover the laminations of the plywood panel edges. j

The pins are shown at 10 as being insertable via the holes formedby the grooves a and 6b and the link used when the elements arestacked as shown at 11.

In FIG. 2, two of the basic units are shown stacked one on top of the other, and although not clearly indicated, it is .to be understood that they are inteconnected via the links 11 engaged by the mutually adjacent sets of pins 10.:

As previously noted, none of the joints or sawed edges of the plywood require precision techniques. The edges are covered by'the strips 7, 8, 9, etc., and the edges of these strips generally are rounded throughout so that where there are joints, the looseness is concealed. The ease of assembly previously referred to is clearly indicated by FIG. 1. Practically anyone can make the assembly.

In terms of modern art, the result is extremely attractive as can be seen'by FIG. 2. The open and exposed dovetailed joints are attractive, the rounded edges of the trim wood make all joints appear to be intentionally decorative and, therefore, psychologically nonexistent, and the pins themselves can be quite decorative by having ball ends a which can be chrome plated. Also, the links 10, if used, can be chrome plated so that they have the effect of deliberate trim.

' In all cases the top and bottom panels 3 and 4 have the previously referred to blind holes 12 formed in their insides adjacent to the front end of the unit and at least one other hole 13 formed in their back ends, these holes being drilled in all of the top and bottom panels and so as to be adjacent to the side panels in the case of an assembled'unit.

To provide the swinging doors of the FIG. 3 illustration, the doors 14, via hinges of the European or concealed type 15, are fastened to the side support members 16 or vertical wood rails, these rails in their top and bottom ends having the holes 17 in which the pins 18 are insertedto anchor the member 16 in place upon installation of the top panel 3, each support member or rail extending vertically and'naving its top and bottom ends firmly anchored so that the door in each instance is mounted by proper hinging action.

In FIGv 7 the unit is shown with drawers. To make this provision, side members or supports 16a are used which in this case extend horizontally backward and have holes in their top and bottom edges which register with the back holes 13 formed in the top and bottom panels. These side members 16a must, in this instance, be positioned inside of both of the side walls l and 2 and these members provide the drawer slides 19 required for the drawers. It can be seen that the provision of either of the members 16 or 16a alternately provide for swinging doors or the use of sliding drawers. The drawers used, as previously described, are formed by a front panel 19, side panels 20 and back panel 21, all in' terhinged by hinges 22 arranged to provide swinging directions permitting shipment of the drawer in a flat folded condition from which it is being partly erected in FIG. 11. The side panels 20 are formed with grooves 20a for receiving slidingly a plywood bottom 23. This bottom is slid into place after unfolding or erection of the drawer and it serves both as a drawer bottom and to prevent the erected or unfolded drawer from collapsing.

When required, the basic unit may be provided with a back panel 24 which, as shown by FIG. 8, may be positioned in rabbits 25 cut in the top and bottom panels 3 and 4,.the previously described trim strips 9 being used to retain this back panel in position.

When necessary to provide a base, it may be either a plain base, or as shown by FIG. 8, formed by large chrome balls 26 supported by short legs 27 fixed to metal straps 28 extending under the bottom panel 4 and having angle ends 28a provided with holes through which the appropriate one of the pins 10 extend.

It is to be understood that the relatively loose interfitting of the joints which provide the advantages previously described, might produce units which are not adequately rigid. However, each unit becomes rigid when the back panel 24 is slid into the rabbits 25 formed into grooves by the strips 9. Each set of side, top and bottom panels, should also include this back panel 24. As shown by FIG. 1, this back panel 24 may beeasily dropped into position prior to lowering the top panel 3 into the side panels 9. The groove 25 should be formed in the back ends of all four panels so that when the unit is completed, it is completely rigid.

Because all of the parts of the unit may be manufactured with large manufacturing tolerances, and because of the simplicity of the parts, it is not necessary for the manufacturer of the parts of the unit, to increase manufacturing costs by making a test assembly of each unit. Prior art knock-down furniture has ordinarily required testv assembly by the manufacturer to assure that the parts can be assembled by the user. Because of the simplicity of theassembly, knock-down furniture made according to the present invention canbe easily assembled even by the clerical staff in the case of offices, or the home owner in the case of home use.

The folding drawer shown by FIG. 11 is illustrated as using four hinges'to interhinge each of the corners of the two side and front and back panels of the drawer. This type of folding construction can beused when the front panel of the drawer is not wide enough to permit the two side panels to be folded towards each other. When the front panel has the 36 inch width previously suggested, with an 18 inch depth, the two side panels can be hinged to the front panel so that they can be folded towards each other and lie flat on the front panel, the dimensions indicated being outside dimensions. Although not illustrated, in this case the back panelcan be provided with latches which latch with the back ends of the side panels so that when the bottom panel 23 is slid in the grooves 20a, the drawer becomes a rigid unit.

This invention provides what can be called a building system comprising the side, top and bottom and back panels of the basic unit, which can be used either with an open front or provided with swinging doors or sliding drawers. The assembled units are symmetrical and can be stacked, using the links previously described, to form dividing walls for adjacent offices. Being symmetrical, the units may be stacked to face in either direction, permitting the occupants of adjacent rooms to be provided with access to, for example, alternate ones of the units without either occupant being confronted by a solid wall formed by the backs of all of the units. The

exterior surfaces of the back panels 24 can, of course, be attractively finished. Once the units are installed, they have the flexibility required to meet the dynamics of modern office reorganizations which periodically occur. The units can be unlinked, rearranged, units which were initially open faced, can be provided with either doors or drawers, and the like.

The pins 18 are preferably press-fitted into the ends of the rails 16 by the manufacturer, to avoid the need for shipping them as separate items of loose hardware.

Although not illustrated, it can be understood now that all components of this new system can be manufactured, shipped, and handled in the form of flat parts which are stacked when convenient. Large manufacturing tolerances are prescribed not only to keep the manufacturing cost down, but of equal importance, to permit very easy assembly of the various components required to produce the various open cases, cabinets having doors, cabinets having sliding drawers, particularly file cabinets, and the like. The interfitting parts are not only loose for easy assembly, but also they are all very plainly visible so that practically anyone can see how the parts interassociate. This invention does provide a building system for furnishing even large offices, extending from low cost manufacture, low cost shipment, low cost transportation and handling to the point of use, and finally low cost assembly, while at the same time producing a large array of furniture constructions.

What is claimed is: v

l. A knock-down furniture system comprising at least one set of two side panels and top and bottom panels which can be assembled in edge-to-edge relationship to form a basic unit having four walls formed by said panels, each two of said panels having edge sections which when said unit is assembled, are mutually adjacent and formed to provide a dovetail joint therebetween with a male joint portion in one of said sections and a female joint portion inthe other of these sections, said panels having said female joint portions being formed with holes extending entirely through their said edge sections and open into said female joint portions, and said panels having said male joint portions having holes entering into their said male joint portion and which register with the first-named holes when said joint portions are interfitted, and pins proportioned for insertion through said holes in said sections having said female portions and projection into said holes in said male portions, for releasably interfastening said dovetail joints.

2. The system of claim 1 in which said dovetail joint which said pins of the stacked units can be passed for linking the two units together.

4. The system of claim 1 in which said top and bottom panels have blind holes formed in their insides ad- 10 jacent at least one open end formed by'said basic unit when assembled, and the system includes at least one support member proportioned to fit inside. of 'at least one of said side panels adjacent to said open end and having ends extending to said insides and having end holes which can be registered with said blind holes. and pins insertable in said blind and end holes during assembly of said unit, to fasten said support member to said insides and against the inside of said one of the said side panels.

5. The system of claim 4 in which said supportmember has hinges and a door for said open end of said basic unit and which is connected to said member by said hinges.

6. The system of claim 4 in which said holes have substantially the depth of said side panels and having drawerslidesontheir insides. y

8. The system of claim 7 including a drawer dimensioned for sliding in said drawer slides, said drawer being formed by four sides interhinged to fold flat and to be unfolded for insertion in said drawer slides.

9. The system of clai'm 8 having a third one of said members and having hinges and a door for said open end of said basic unit and which is connectedto said third member by said hinges, said third memberand said two ofsaid members being interchangeably applicable to said basic unit I ,10. The system of claim 9 in which said third member and its hinges and door fold into a flat assembly so that said basic unit, drawer and door, and said support members may, when unassembled, be handled and transported as stacksofjfl at parts. y

11. The system of claim 2 in which said panels'ihave der said looseness unconspicuous. 

1. A knock-down furniture system comprising at least one set of two side panels and top and bottom panels which can be assembled in edge-to-edge relationship to form a basic unit having four walls formed by said panels, each two of said panels having edge sections which when said unit is assembled, are mutually adjacent and formed to provide a dovetail joint therebetween with a male joint portion in one of said sections and a female joint portion in the other of these sections, said panels having said female joint portions being formed with holes extending entirely through their said edge sections and open into said female joint portions, and said panels having said male joint portions having holes entering into their said male joint portion and which register with the first-named holes when said joint portions are interfitted, and pins proportioned for insertion through said holes in said sections having said female portions and projection into said holes in said male portions, for releasably interfastening said dovetail joints.
 2. The system of claim 1 in which said dovetail joint members interfit loosely, avoiding precision manufacture of said set.
 3. The system of claim 1 having two of said sets for the assembly of two of said basic units for stacking one on top of the other, and links having holes through which said pins of the stacked units can be passed for linking the two units together.
 4. The system of claim 1 in which said top and bottom panels have blind holes formed in their insides adjacent at least one open end formed by said basic unit when assembled, and the system includes at least one support member proportioned to fit inside of at least one of said side panels adjacent to said open end and having ends extending to said insides and having end holes which can be registered with said blind holes, and pins insertable in said blind and end holes during assembly of said unit, to fasten said support member to said insides and against the inside of said one of the said side panels.
 5. The system of claim 4 in which said support member has hinges and a door for said open end of said basic unit and which is connected to said member by said hinges.
 6. The system of claim 4 in which said holes have metal bushings, said panels being made of non-metallic material.
 7. The system of claim 4 having two of said support members, one for the inside of each of said side panels, said support members being dimensioned to extend for substantially the depth of said side panels and having drawer slides on their insides.
 8. The system of claim 7 including a drawer dimensioned for sliding in said drawer slides, said drawer being formed by four sides interhinged to fold flat and to be unfolded for insertion in said drawer slides.
 9. The system of claim 8 having a third one of said members and having hinges and a door for said open end of said basic unit and which is connected to said third member by said hinges, said third member and said two of said members being interchangeably applicable to said basic unit.
 10. The system of claim 9 in which said third member and its hinges and door fold into a flat assembly so that said basic unit, drawer and door, and said support members may, when unassembled, be handled and transported as stacks of flat parts.
 11. The system of claim 2 in which said panels have adjacent edges which are transversely rounded to render said looseness unconspicuous. 